Family protects black-necked cranes for 30 years

In more than 3 decades, two generations of Chen Guanghui’s family have been devoting themselves to protecting the black-necked cranes. To protect these wintering cranes, they carefully observed the birds and provided help to those in need.

Chen’s family comes from the Dashanbao town of Zhaoyang district, northeast Yunnan’s Zhaotong city. Dong Yinglan, Chen’s mother in law, who was once a guardian of the cranes in Dahaizi wetland of Dashanbao town, is now 71 years old.

As Dong is getting too old to continue her job, Chen took over her job as a crane guardian. Following Chen’s choice, Zhao Bingxiang, the husband, is now also a crane guardian in the Hainaoke wetland.

On a winter day of the 1980s, the birds unknown to the locals firstly flew to Dahaizi wetland and its surrounding areas. The locals were very surprised and named them “wild geese”, which were finally proved as black-necked cranes in 1988.

  

The black-necked cranes in the reserve. (Photo by Xinhua)

In such a place of high altitude, the weather was unpleasant and the lands were barren. So, villagers were living a tough life. What’s worse, the potato and buckwheat they grew were often eaten by the cranes. Many villagers didn’t like them and even drove them out.

However, to Dong Yinglan, the cranes were so lovely. She never drove them away and even fed them with potatoes, oats, and buckwheat when the cranes couldn’t get enough food on frozen winter days.

In 1990, the Dashanbao Black-necked Crane Municipal Nature Reserve was established. Then, the cranes became widely known by more. People’s awareness of protecting them was also strengthened. In 1992, Dong officially became a crane guardian in the reserve. She kept feeding the cranes in Dahaizi wetland from October every year to the next April. Ignoring the harsh weather, she carried corns and potatoes to feed them.

After more than 10 years of hard work, Dong felt painful in her eyes and legs in the Spring Festival of 2003. But she didn’t want to give up. The cranes flew from Ruo’ergai reserve in Sichuan province to Dashanbao for overwintering. Dong was so worried that she couldn’t fulfill her duty.

At this moment, Chen Guanghui, Dong’s daughter in law, said that she would love to take care of the cranes. Then, with Dong’s guidance, Chen took over the job.

Finally in 2004, Dong retired and Chen became one of the guardians just like her. Not only should Chen ensure that there is enough food for the cranes, but also she should count them through observation. She also provides help to the injured ones while preventing tourists from causing disruption to the species.

Chen Guanghui feeds the cranes. (Photo by Xinhua)

To get closer to the cranes, she learned to blow a special whistle in an attempt to communicate with them. “My whistles sound like chirps of baby cranes, so they are not afraid of me anymore,” said 38-year-old Chen, who can tell the age, health condition and even mood of the cranes by observing their size, chirping, moves and height of flying.

Zhao Bingxiang was touched by his mother Dong and wife Chen. He became a guardian, too. The two generations of this family have been devoting themselves to protecting the cranes for more than 30 years now. They felt happy.

Besides, there are many people protecting black-necked cranes here. Though the working condition is tough, they keep working day and night. They have contributed to the ecological protection.

  

The black-necked cranes live happily in the reserve. (Photo by Xinhua)

Thanks to the family, the number of black-necked cranes in Dashanbao has reached 2,260 by November, 2022 from just 200 in 1990.

Source: Kunming Evening News; trans-editing by Wang Yunya